FIRST PUPPY

04.12.09

Meet Bo Obama

Pete Souza / The White House

After months of anticipation, the day has finally arrived: Sasha and Malia, you have earned the puppy that has come to the White House. Christened "Bo" by the Obama daughters, the six-month-old black-and-white Portuguese water dog is a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. (Malia and Sasha, The Washington Post reports, chose the name in honor of their cousins' cat, Bo, and their maternal grandfather's nickname, Diddley, says a source.) The dog's official debut was undercut by leaked photos to a website called
FirstDogCharlie that then spread through gossip site TMZ. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Obamas first met the dog several weeks ago at the White House, where he was a hit with the girls. While the president said he preferred a rescue dog, it seems the idea had to be jettisoned in favor of a hypoallergenic breed for Malia. The family plans to make up for it with a donation to the Humane Society instead.